


Just Another Tourist

by Hllangel



Category: White Collar
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-18
Updated: 2011-06-18
Packaged: 2017-10-20 13:13:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/213145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hllangel/pseuds/Hllangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Somewhere in the last four years, Neal's understanding of the term 'souvenir' has changed drastically.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Another Tourist

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [The New Pub](http://thenewpub.livejournal.com/), June 18, 2011

"The National Gallery?"

"Nope."

"The air and space museum, then."

"No."

"I've got it! You're going to sneak into the White House!" Mozzie looks genuinely excited at the prospect.

"I'm not going to steal anything!" Neal says.

"Tell me you were lying when you said that to the Suit."

"Why can't I just be a tourist?"

"Because you're Neal Caffrey and you're taking your first post-Suit trip. If you don't come back with a souvenir for me to fence I will be extremely disappointed."

Neal can't say he hasn't considered it; he's well aware that the Smithsonian only displays about 2 percent of their collections. And that's not even counting the numerous other museums and galleries in DC. "I'll send you a postcard. I may even steal it."

"It's one dollar, tops. It doesn't count."

"If I get caught, I go back to prison, and I can't count on Peter to pull me out again."

Mozzie snorts at that.

"What?"

"Do you really not know?"

And Neal does know. He's known for a long time. How many times has Peter put his career on the line for Neal? He lost count a long time ago. He sighs.

Mozzie is closely observing him, and Neal does his best to school his face back to neutral. "Oh god, it's not just him, is it?"

No, it's not, Neal doesn't say. Because how do you tell your best friend of more than a decade that he's not Number One anymore?

"Next time," he tells Mozzie as he heads for the door, and he only hopes that Mozzie believes him, even though Mozzie's too smart for that. There won't be a next con or heist or score.

Neal's done disappointing Peter.


End file.
